How To Raise a Child
by Woven Gossamer
Summary: After everything had been cleared up in the jungle of Nool, Horton and Gertrude have a lot of work to do! As Horton's friendship with Gertrude grows, he has to discover the strength within in order to raise a child. Who knew parenting could be so much work?


**Author's Note: **

**I made it into Seussical! I love everything about it, so I couldn't help myself. Sorry if you were expecting another Sonic story, but a little variety is always good X3 Enjoy!**

Horton watched the beads of water slide down onto the leaves and into the sun showed its rays through the treetops and onto his face.

'Gertrude...' He thought, tapping a foot on the ground, 'Where are you?' Horton was gentle and patient, but usually got worried when Gertrude was the slightest bit late from flying with Eleton, or Eebee for short. There was a slight rustle in the leaves above him and he glanced up. Out of the trees burst Gertrude who landed gracefully in the bracken. Gertrude looked up and held out her wings. The small elephant with tiny blue wings fluttered into her soft feathers then dropped to the ground.

"Horton!" He cried in a high voice.

"Hey there, little one." Horton chuckled as the little elephant bumped into his leg. Horton pulled him closer with his trunk. He then looked up.

"Thank you, Gertrude." He sighed gratefully. Gertrude rustled her sky blue feathers which shimmered in the sunlight. She looked up, meeting Horton's gaze,

"Thank you for letting me-" Horton shook his head.

"We're in this together, now. That's what parenting is, if I'm not mistaken." Gertrude felt a blush rise to her cheeks quickly.

"Yes. Um, well, I'd best be on my way. I'll meet you here in two days, then?" She confirmed. Horton smiled,

"If we don't see each other before then, of course." Gertrude nodded and, after giving Horton a shy smile and Eebee a quick wave, she took to the air. He knew that Gertrude was the perfect bird for the job of raising the baby. He then looked down at the small elephant and took him in for a moment. Eebee's skin was smooth and lighter than Horton's. His eyes were a bright blue to match his feathers.

"Are you ready to visit Jojo and the Whos?" Horton asked the elephant bird who jumped into the air and fluttered his wings.

"Yes!" He cried, "Yes! Jojo!" Horton laughed,

"Then let's go!" With that, he scooped up Eebee in his trunk and set him on his back. Eebee squealed with delight,

"jojo! Jojo!" As Horton lumbered along, he thought about the adventures he had in the past two years, including a tiny world, the inhabitants and neighbors of his home-jungle turning against him, an auction, a circus, and finally a trial.

Soon, the pair made it to the clearing near the river Waloo. This was where the Sour Kangaroo lived with her son, the Young Kangaroo. Right now, Sour had the dust planet of Who at the moment, of which dwelled on a dust speck. After the big adventures of last year, the Kangaroo finally agreed to protect the dust speck with Horton. And the Young Kangaroo in her pouch said, "Me, too."

"Young?" Eebee asked Horton, who smiled,

"Young Kangaroo and Sour are protecting Who right now." Eebee tapped Horton's back twice to signal he had heard.

"Hello!" Hello-ed a voice. 'Twas a Sour Kangaroo. And the Young Kangaroo in her pouch said, "Hello!" ,too. Horton reached up with his trunk and softly set Eebee on the ground, where he rushed to the Young Kangaroo.

"Young!" He yipped. Young's eyes widened and he jumped out of his mother's pouch and toward Eebee.

"Eebee!" He cried happily. They did a dance together then sunk to the mossy ground, gasping with laughter. Horton chuckled at the the young animal's antics, then looked up toward Sour.

"You have them?" He asked and Sour nodded.

"Here ya go," she said in her riffing voice. She held out the purple fluff of a flower toward Horton who took it in his trunk, gratefully.

"We need to plan something for these two." Horton laughed as the two baby animals wrestled playfully on the ground. Sour nodded.

"Of course we do." She agreed, "They are the best of friends." Horton was happy and proud. He then turned to the clover.

"Hello? Jojo?" He asked, and soon got an answer.

"Hello!" Came Jojo's high voice.

"Jojo! It's good to hear you again!" Horton cried happily. Jojo's voice came again,

"How is Eebee?" Horton looked at the two friends.

"Never been better," He chuckled, "Never been better."


End file.
